National Volunteer Week: Day 2

Monday, April 24, 2017

by Lincoln Park Zoo

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Lincoln Park Zoo

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For Day 2 of National Volunteer Week we're highlighting Learning Volunteers: Guest Engagement Ambassadors and Play Assistants.

Guest Engagement Ambassadors (GEAs) on the main zoo grounds share stories and information about our animals and the zoo by facilitating learning stations and chats throughout the grounds and buildings. GEAs educate adults and children about a variety of topics including conservation, animal adaptations and zoo “secrets.” Fun fact: One of the most popular programs among these GEA is the “Feces Save Species” cart, which is affectionately known as the poop cart. Apart from being a crowd pleaser, volunteers enjoy educating visitors on how the hormones in animal poop can help us determine if our animals may be stressed or pregnant.

GEAs at the Farm-in-the-Zoo facilitate animal programs, chats and carts geared toward a young audience. They present a variety of topics including feeding dairy cows, pony grooming, and introducing guests to our curious goats. Fun fact: Aside from being the only volunteer position that works directly with animals, this is also the only position that aids our keepers in operant conditioning training, a reward-based technique that allows animals to participate in their own care. Operant conditioning with the goats at Farm-in-the-Zoo happens every day at 2 p.m.

Play Assistants help create a sensory-rich learning environment and gain personal, hands-on experience with our youngest visitors at the Farm-in-the-Zoo and Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo. By facilitating play stations, they ignite curiosity for the natural world through music, art, nature walks and more. This role is ideal for applicants who have an early education background or interest. Fun fact: Play Assistant is the zoo's newest volunteer position and is designed to offer a place for the zoo’s youngest visitors to engage in nature-based play. During our pilot of the position, children ages 3-5 who are normally known for their short attention spans enjoyed these programs so much that their average stay time at one station was one hour!